United Nations S/2007/122

Security Council Distr.: General 5 March 2007

Original: English

Letter dated 5 March 2007 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

I have the honour to enclose the assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of the Russian Federation in January 2007 (see annex). This assessment was prepared under my own responsibility following consultations with other members of the Council. I should be grateful if the present letter and its annex could be circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Vitaly Churkin

07-25872 (E) 080307 *0725872* S/2007/122

Annex to the letter dated 5 March 2007 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

Assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of the Russian Federation (January 2007)

Introduction

On 8 January 2007 the Security Council welcomed Ban Ki-moon — participating for the first time in his capacity as United Nations Secretary-General in a formal debate of the Security Council — and committed itself, within its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, to continue to work closely and in a focused and action-oriented manner with the Secretary- General to better address the world’s multifaceted and interconnected threats to international peace and security, including armed conflict, terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2007/1), in which it emphasized that the present global challenges and threats demanded a resolute and coherent response, based on the collective security system of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular requesting more regular reporting on regions of potential armed conflict and more focus in peacekeeping on the need to achieve the objectives of the mission, and emphasizing the importance of peacebuilding. The Council also pledged to uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, reaffirmed its commitment to the principles of sovereign equality, national sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all States, and underlined further the need for respect for human rights and the rule of law, including protection of civilians in armed conflict, and the importance of adhering to the principles of refraining, in international relations, from the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations, and of peaceful settlement of international disputes. During the presidency of the Russian Federation, in January 2007, the Security Council held 14 meetings, including debates on threats to international peace and security and on post-conflict peacebuilding, and 14 sessions of informal consultations; three resolutions and two presidential statements were adopted.

Africa

Central African Republic

In informal consultations on 15 January, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Lamine Cissé, presented the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in the Central African Republic and the activities of the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in the Central African Republic (BONUCA). The members of the Council noted with concern that the situation in the northern regions of the country had deteriorated, because of the attacks of the insurgents in October and November 2006. Those attacks had resulted in the

2 07-25872

S/2007/122

occupation of several towns which were subsequently liberated by the Government forces, supported by French contingents and the Multinational Force of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community. The instability led to a new flow of refugees and internally displaced persons to the neighbouring Sudan, which affected bilateral relations between the two countries. The Council members urged the Government of the Central African Republic to normalize relations with the Sudan. At the same time they acknowledged that the still unresolved crisis in Darfur had a negative impact on the overall situation in the subregion. It was emphasized that the Government should accelerate the pace of security sector reform with the technical support of BONUCA and take further steps towards reaching a national consensus based on broad and representative political dialogue under the auspices of BONUCA.

Côte d’Ivoire

On 10 January, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1739 (2007), extending the mandates of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) and the French forces supporting it until 30 June 2007. The resolution outlines major aspects and key tasks to be carried out by UNOCI and the French forces with a view to holding open, free, fair and transparent presidential and legislative elections in Côte d’Ivoire by 31 October 2007.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

At an open meeting on 9 January, the Security Council heard a briefing by the European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, on the involvement of the European Union force and its assistance to the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in providing security during the election campaign in the country. The Under-Secretaries-General for Peacekeeping Operations and Political Affairs, Jean-Marie Guéhenno and Ibrahim Gambari, thanked the European Union for having agreed to deploy a force during the electoral period at the request of the United Nations and also informed the Council about the efforts of their Departments to assist the Government and people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in conducting and participating in the elections, which were the largest and most complex the United Nations has ever helped to organize.

Ethiopia and Eritrea

At a private meeting on 16 January, the Council and the troop-contributing countries to the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) heard a briefing by the Director of the Africa Division of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Dmitry Titov, on the latest developments in the peace process between the two countries. Later that day, in informal consultations, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hédi Annabi, presented to the Council the Secretary-

07-25872 3

S/2007/122

General’s special report of 15 December 2006 (S/2006/992) pursuant to resolution 1710 (2006), containing options for a possible reconfiguration of UNMEE. On 30 January the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1741 (2007), by which it extended the mandate of UNMEE for a period of six months, until 31 July 2007, and authorized a further reduction of the military component of the force from 2,300 to 1,700 military personnel.

Somalia

On 10 January, in informal consultations, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs briefed the Security Council on the situation in Somalia. During the discussion the Council members emphasized the need for inclusive political dialogue within the framework of the Transitional Federal Charter between all Somali groups and clans, including moderate representatives of the ousted Union of Islamic Courts, with a view to stabilizing the situation in the country. The Council expressed its support for the deployment as soon as possible of the authorized African peacekeeping force in Somalia, which would help to create the necessary conditions for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the country and the improvement of the humanitarian situation in Somalia.

Chad-Sudan

In informal consultations on 10 January, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations briefed the Council on the situation in Chad, the Central African Republic and the Sudan, and presented the latest report of the Secretary- General on that subject. At a public meeting on 16 January, the Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2007/2) in which it reiterated its concern at the continuing instability along the borders between the Sudan, Chad and the Central African Republic, which posed a threat to the safety of the civilian population, noted the intention of the Secretary-General to authorize the immediate return of the technical assessment mission to the region in order to complete its observations, and called on the Secretary-General to submit to the Council by mid-February updated and finalized recommendations on the size, structure and mandate of a possible United Nations multidimensional presence in Chad and the Central African Republic. In the presidential statement the Council also requested the Secretary-General to deploy as soon as possible an advance mission to Chad and the Central African Republic to accelerate preparations for an early decision on such a presence.

Americas

Haiti

On 29 January the Council held a private meeting for troop-contributing countries to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Then, in informal consultations, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti, Edmond Mulet, introduced the report of the Secretary-General on the activities of MINUSTAH and briefed the Council on the current situation in Haiti. He pointed out that, despite a series of successful operations by MINUSTAH and

4 07-25872

S/2007/122

the Haitian National Police against criminal groups in December and January, the country still needs a sustained international assistance. The Council members commended the recommendations of the Secretary-General and urged the Government of Haiti to intensify its cooperation with MINUSTAH, especially in combating banditry and reforming government institutions. They also called on the Haitian authorities to bring to an end the flows of arms and narcotics into the country.

Asia

Iraq

On 29 January the President sent letters to the Secretary-General and the Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations asking them on behalf of the Council to speed up the process aimed at resolving the remaining issues in the framework of the “oil-for-food” programme, which will make it possible to settle the payments issue between the Government of Iraq and the participants in the programme and open the way for the final closure of the “oil-for-food” file. The Council also asked the Secretariat to keep it informed about developments in its talks with the Iraqi side.

Myanmar

On 12 January, the Security Council failed to adopt a draft resolution on Myanmar, co-sponsored by the United Kingdom and the United States, owing to the negative votes of two permanent members, China and the Russian Federation. The resolution received 9 votes in favour, 3 against, South Africa also voting against, and 3 abstentions (Congo, Indonesia and Qatar).

Nepal

In informal consultations on 11 January, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ian Martin, introduced the report of the Secretary-General on the request of Nepal for United Nations assistance in its peace process. He also briefed the Council on the latest developments in the country in a follow-up to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed by the Government of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on 21 November 2006. The Council members commended the progress in the peace process and endorsed the recommendations of the Secretary-General to deploy as soon as possible the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) with a view to monitoring various aspects of the ceasefire agreement as well as rendering technical assistance to the parties for the election of the Constituent Assembly to be held by the end of June. On 23 January, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1740 (2007), establishing UNMIN for a period of 12 months.

The situation in the Middle East

In an open briefing followed by informal consultations on 25 January, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs briefed the Council members on the situation in the Middle East. He said that in the past month there had been

07-25872 5

S/2007/122

heightened levels of instability and suffering in the region of the Middle East, combined with a renewed international sense of the urgency of finding a political way ahead. On 15 January the Council acknowledged, in a letter from its President to the Secretary-General, his intention to appoint new commanders for the United Nations forces in the Middle East, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

Europe

Georgia

On 24 January, at a private meeting, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Georgia, Jean Arnault, presented the latest progress report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia (S/2007/15). During the consultations of the whole, the members of the Council welcomed some progress in the implementation of resolution 1716 (2006), including the resumption of joint patrolling in the upper Kodori valley by the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia and the Commonwealth of Independent States peacekeeping force, but expressed concern at the security incidents reported in the Secretary-General’s report and at the humanitarian situation in the conflict zone. It was reiterated that this monitoring should be continued on a regular basis. The members of the Council stressed the need for full observance of the Moscow Agreement on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces as a key instrument in preventing political tension from descending into violence. The Council appealed to both sides to exercise maximum restraint, overcome mistrust and engage in sustained dialogue to prevent escalation of the situation on the ground. The hope was expressed that the forthcoming high-level meeting of the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General at Geneva would provide impetus towards the resumption of negotiations leading to a lasting settlement of the conflict.

Other issues

Lebanon: International Independent Investigation Commission established pursuant to Security Council resolutions 1595 (2005), 1636 (2005), 1644 (2005)

The Security Council held a series of consultations to address the situation described in paragraph 103 of the report of 12 December 2006 of the International Independent Investigation Commission (S/2006/962), namely, that responses to 22 requests for assistance sent by the Commission to 10 separate Member States were overdue. Some other members of the Council drew attention, in particular, to the statement of the Commissioner, Serge Brammertz, to the effect that lack of responsiveness by certain States had serious consequences in terms of delay for the work of the Commission and its investigative process, and expressed their concern in respect of that situation. The proposal was made to request the Commissioner to disclose the names of non-cooperating States and to urge those States to cooperate fully and unconditionally with the Commission as provided for in resolution 1636 (2005). Several delegations did not support this idea, recalling that the Commissioner had publicly stated that he was not willing to disclose any names,

6 07-25872

S/2007/122

that the problem was not wilful non-cooperation so much as problems connected to domestic legal systems, and that he would try to work with those countries before, if there was no progress, eventually reverting to the United Nations Secretariat.

Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) concerning the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

On 11 January, the Security Council heard a briefing by the Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the United Nations, Ambassador Peter Burian, on the activities of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) concerning the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. After the briefing, the representatives of the United States of America, France and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland made statements.

Bureaux of subsidiary bodies

On 18 January, a note by the President was issued and agreed on the composition of the Bureaux of all subsidiary bodies of the Council.

Post-conflict peacebuilding

On 23 January, the Council discussed in informal consultations issues related to post-conflict peacebuilding, including the work of the Peacebuilding Commission, with a briefing by the head of the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office, Carolyn McAskie. On 31 January, the Council held an open debate on post-conflict peacebuilding. Among the 40 speakers were the President of the Economic and Social Council, Dalius Čekuolis; the Chairman of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission, Ismael Abraão Gaspar Martins; the Assistant Secretary-General in the Peacebuilding Support Office, Carolyn McAskie; the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands, Chairman of the country-specific meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission on Sierra Leone, Frank Majoor; the Permanent Representative of Norway, Vice-Chairman of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission and Chairman of the country-specific meeting on Burundi, Johan Løvald; the Permanent Representative of Burundi, Joseph Ntakirutimana; the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone, Sylvester Ekundayo Rowe; the Special Representative of the World Bank to the United Nations, Oscar Avalle; and the Special Representative of the International Monetary Fund to the United Nations, Reinhard Munzberg. The Council members, as well as 16 other States, including Germany on behalf of the European Union, Jamaica on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and Canada on behalf of Australia and New Zealand, made statements during the open debate. The open debate in the Council provided an important occasion to reflect on the work of the Peacebuilding Commission established as an outcome of the 2005 World Summit by concurrent resolutions of the General Assembly (60/180) and the Security Council (1645 (2005)) — one of the key achievements of the United Nations reform process. The discussion centred inter alia on practical steps to improve peacebuilding across key aspects of the work of the United Nations, the importance of additional impetus to a mutually reinforcing partnership between the principal organs and among all those who are contributing to peacebuilding and a

07-25872 7

S/2007/122

range of ways that would facilitate the constructive work of the Commission and its closer links with principal organs of the United Nations. In line with its resolution 1646 (2005), in which the Security Council decided that two non-permanent members of the Council would be selected annually, in addition to the permanent members, to participate in the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission, the Council unanimously agreed, on 12 January, to the selection of Panama and South Africa for a term of one year, until 31 December 2007.

8 07-25872